Certification Course Overview

Fundamentally, participants are expected to have the paddling skills, technical knowledge, rescue ability, teaching ability, group management, and interpersonal skills commensurate with this level of certification prior to presenting themselves for evaluation as Instructor Candidates at an Instructor Certification Course (IDW, ICE, or ICW).

Course Prerequisites

• Acknowledgement of personal compliance with the ACA Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC)
• Be a current ACA Level 2: Essentials of SUP Instructor in good standing
• Completion of the appropriate level skills course, assessment course, or equivalent skills
• Completion of an ACA Safety & Rescue course for further training on rescue is strongly suggested

Course Duration

Combined Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) and Instructor Certification Exam (ICE) - minimum 2 days (16 hours).

Course Location / Accessible Venues

Sections of rivers rated up to and including class I-II, where limited maneuvering in current is required to avoid obstacles.

A rapid class includes rapids at the lower and upper ends of the difficulty range, designated “-“ and “+”  respectively.

Course Size

4 Instructor Candidates : 1 Instructor Trainer; with an additional qualified assistant, the ratio can be 8 : 2. The maximum number of participants permitted is 8.

Instructor Trainer

This certification course may be offered by Level 4: Whitewater SUP (or higher) ACA Instructor Trainers or Instructor Trainer Educators.

Succeeding Courses

• Instructor Skills, Assessment, and Certification courses in the appropriate discipline: Level 5: Advanced Whitewater SUP

General Requirements for all ACA Certification Candidates

• Be at least 18 years old
• Demonstrate a general knowledge of paddlesports and the ACA
• Demonstrate a general knowledge of ACA Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC), ACA Code of Conduct, and ACA’s Equity and Access Initiatives
• Successfully complete an Instructor Certification Workshop (combined ICW or IDW and ICE)
• Upon successful completion, register with the Safety Education and Instruction Council
• Have and maintain venue-appropriate first aid and age-appropriate CPR
• Demonstrate the ability to appropriately perform, model, and teach all of the following material, unassisted, in the appropriate venue
• Demonstrate the ability to appropriately perform, model, and teach all of the material contained within the official ACA skills course and assessment course outlines corresponding to their level of certification and all levels below, if applicable

Certification Maintenance Requirements

• Teach a minimum of two courses that meet ACA standards within the four-year certification period and properly report the courses using the ACA Course Management System (CMS). At least one course must be at their highest level of certification
• Complete an Instructor Update, at the highest level of certification, during the four-year certification period
• Maintain ACA membership and SEIC registration annually
• Maintain appropriate CPR and first aid certification for the duration of certification

ACA Level 4: Whitewater SUP Instructor Requirements

Fundamentally, we expect that paddlers should have basic paddling skills, before presenting themselves for evaluation as instructor candidates as below:

Demonstrate a knowledge of ACA administrative processes:

• How to register and report a course (with and without insurance)